A Brand New Hope (Band of Brothers)

-*Serving a Purpose-*

Ricky didn't know how she wasn't crumbling down into a pile of sweat when she was running up the mountain. Currahee was certainly not what she had expected. She was currently running beside Liebgott and another man that she had never met before. Sobel was yelling taunts at them, telling them that they would never make it. But Ricky wasn't going to give up. She couldn't. She had to do this. She just had to.

"You gonna give up huh, Levin!? Don't worry, the military won't miss you!" Sobel screamed in her ear. As much as she wanted to punch him, she had to stay focused.

Ricky focused on her breathing and her foot pattern, and soon she forgot all about what Sobel said. She only focused on getting to the top. She passed a bunch of men, who soon gave her surprised looks. It seemed as if she inspired them to push on, because they started to go faster. Or maybe they just didn't want a woman to beat them.

"Come on, Private Clark! You really want a woman to beat you up this hill!?" Sobel shouted in another man's ear. Ricky payed no attention.

Once she was reaching close to the top, Ricky heard Winters shouting words of encouragement. Bless his soul. He was one of the reasons she made it to the top. Surprisenly, Ricky was not one of the last ones there. She was one of the first, and she counted she was the tenth down the mountain. Sobel was glaring at her, and Ricky wanted to prepare herself for the insults, but he let her be. For some reason, it seemed like he was in shock. Suddenly, a body flopped down beside her, and she was expecting Brice or Liebgott, but it wasn't either. It was another boy, whom she had never seen before.

"Hey...good job out there." the boy panted.

"Thanks?" Ricky said, confused.

"I'm...Judas...Clark." the boy said in a slight whisper, tired from the run.

"Judas Clark?" Ricky asked.

"Yeah, I know. A boy named Judas." Judas grumbled.

"It's not a bad name." Ricky said. "I'm Ricky Levin.

"Yeah...I know." Judas said.

"You were the guy Sobel yelled at before, right?" Ricky asked.

"Who wasn't been the guy Sobel yelled at?" Judas joked.

"Yeah...guess you're right." Ricky smiled.

"So, shall we get going?" Judas asked. Lunch was being served.

"Yeah, let's go." Ricky replied. She looked around for Brice, and she thought she saw him talking to another man, but he wasn't. The man was sizing him up, and bullying him.

"You're worthless, Savard. You barely made out of the run alive. Pathetic." the man snarled. Ricky was pissed. She marched right over to Brice, Judas following behind, and pushed Brice out of the way.

"Knock it off. I didn't see you getting yelled at by Sobel and getting called a failure and still keep pushing. I didn't see you looking like you were gonna throw up the whole time. You know where I saw you? No where. Cause you don't belong here if you're gonna act like a baby the whole damn time." Ricky snapped.

"You're a woman! You have no right to say that I don't belong here if you're litterally just a baby making machine." the man snapped back.

"Who's out saving your asses in the hospital? Who's out taking care of your god damn children? Who cooks you almost every god damn meal in the fucking world?" Ricky shouted. Most of the men started to incircle the two. Judas and Brice were just standing there, stunned by the words Ricky said.